Accommodation providers in Sussex sharpened their professional skills through training opportunities provided by the Welcome Sussex project.

Such small enterprises are an essential part of the Sussex tourist economy, but may not always have access to the training they need.

The Welcome Sussex project, co-funded by the Sussex Learning and Skills Council and the European Social Fund and led by Tourism South East, offered subsidised entrepreneurial and business training to small accommodation providers (with up to 49 staff) in both East and West Sussex and Brighton & Hove.

Over the course of the two-year project just under 200 individuals from 114 small businesses benefited from advice and training provided by a consortium of organisations. These organisations included Tourism South East, the University of Brighton, Hastings College of Arts and Technology, Academy Internet and Seaspace.

The businesses that participated in the project accessed training on business planning, marketing, customer service, e-commerce, IT, and management and leadership skills. A key factor in the scheme's success was one-to-one advice and guidance from a tourism business advisor who helped to identify the training and skills improvement needed.

Businesses could take a 'mix and match' approach to a range of opportunities offered at venues around the two counties of Sussex and in Brighton & Hove.

These included:

• Welcome to Excellence customer service courses (the most successful customer service training in the UK)
• Welcome Management - a one-day nationally accredited management course
• ‘Fit for Purpose’ or ‘Know the Law’ seminars designed to raise awareness of legislation affecting businesses (health and safety, fire safety and risk assessment, food safety, trading standards and the Disability Discrimination Act)
• sessions on online marketing
• ‘Learning bursts’ - short interactive online sessions guiding users through scenarios and quizzes in three key topic areas.

The University of Brighton is currently carrying out an evaluation of the project. Chris Dutton, assistant head of the university’s School of Service Management, said: “Mid-project indications are that Welcome Sussex has had a significant impact on the businesses involved. It has brought benefits both to the businesses and to the individuals working for them.”

This is borne out by what the hoteliers themselves have to say about the scheme. Laura Gerrard of The Silverdale Hotel, Seaford said:  "Although it is early days we expect our turnover to increase by 10 per cent, to improve overall customer service and to gain more repeat business as a result of the initiative."

At The White Rock Hotel, Hastings Laurence Bell says the scheme has had a major impact on customer service.  “It has helped us to reiterate the importance of customer service with our staff and especially those who had not previously had any customer service training. We are working very hard to differentiate our offer through service quality,” he said.